3Dfx Boo Boo

UPDATE: 3Dfx has the repaired patch (03/04/98) available at its Website.

3Dfx posted a new Direct3D 2.15 patch for its popular Voodoo graphics chipset (not for the Voodoo Rush or Voodoo2 chipsets) on Monday, and whenever 3Dfx releases a patch for more 3D functionality, it's a sure download for graphics addicts.

GameSpot News has seen reports on the Web, however, that the control panel associated with the patch has a bug that causes it to not see the new drivers. Talk in the 3Dfx newsgroups cites the problem as being that the inf file (this is what registers a file for use in Windows 95) refers to the file names as DD.

Strangely, the files that are included in the patch start with MM, so the files are never found. The person citing the problem had a solution, but we're recommending for you to just wait for 3Dfx to release the updated patch, and then install it.

Apparently there is a problem with Canopus Pure3D cards using the new drivers as well. GameSpot News can confirm that we too had a few problems with installing the drivers on a Pure3D equpped machine. It was impossible to play Direct3D games and one file seems to have been deleted in the update process. We've seen in the newsgroups that others are having similar problems. So if you have a Pure3D card, it is recommended that you do not install the 2.15 drivers until 3Dfx fixes the problem.

3Dfx says that it has already fixed the problem, and it will release the new patch for the patch as soon as it comes out of testing.

Here's the post that 3Dfx has put up to inform gamers:

"We Goofed!

There was a mistake with the control panel in the D3D 2.15 release that caused the drivers to be unrecognized. The problem is NOT with the drivers. It is only with the control panel. We have fixed the problem, and we are testing the fix (Tuesday 3/3/98). We will post the new kit as soon as it passes QA's inspection (which should be today, 3/3/98).

Please accept our sincerest apologies for this mistake. We (those of us burning in hell for this) are putting steps in place to ensure this doesn't happen again.

Thanks Again For Your Continued Support, 3Dfx"